#basically a land-croc the size of a large dog

[clannfearrunt]

I don’t rly know much about evolution or spec bio and such, so I was wondering, do you have any ideas of what kinda pets Squid Kids might have? And if you do + feel like sharing them, do you mind if other people work off those ideas? Thank you for your time!!

See I’ve only Vaguely thought about the Other Animals that live in the era, so this is a super hazy area for me! I only know super surface level stuff I think so this is a lot of work in Approximate Bullshit and coming across just enough specific questions to look up lol... 

So this post will be an overview of Animals I Know About and whether making it a pet is a good idea or not! And people are welcome to work off of these ideas, absolutely! Thank u for asking, hopefully this is actually useful to u! 

Ok, under the cut bc it was getting Slightly Long: 

Quail Thing (possibly not actually a quail, but definitely a similar bird. I do not care enough to go into its actual evolutionary history so It Is A Mystery). Quails are one of the main domesticated animals on [Splat Japan], having been domesticated during the early stages of the Inklings’ civilization for their meat and eggs (later gaining more focus on feathers as well). There’s a lot of breeds with varying sizes and colors and shapes, similar to modern chickens and pigeons. They make excellent pets, and probably are one of the most common pets in the region. 

Small Terrestrial Crocogator. Just what it says on the tin, a small, terrestrial crocodilian. I’m thinking like, japanese spitz height on average (10 to 16 inches at the shoulders. Sorry I was thinking of size refs and my own dog is the best thing I have lol). They are slightly omnivorous but definitely need a meat focused diet to thrive. I’m weak and I like crocors, so they have been domesticated mainly for use in hunting by... Not Inklings, I have not decided on who yet, but they’re from one of the continents. While they are domesticated they’re definitely more demanding in terms of food, proper training, and exercise needs, so they’re not a very common pet especially in Splat Japan. If you’ve got a lot of space, money, and time to dedicate to caring for god’s perfect animal, then a Littol Croc is not a bad pet at all. 

Large Marine Crocodile, or Seal Croc. Also just what it says on the tin; a large nearly fully aquatic crocodile. They’re kinda mosasaur-ifying right now, with their legs becoming more like flippers. They spend most of their time in the ocean and only occasionally come up on land mostly for breeding purposes or just to sit in the sun for a little bit. These are decidedly not pet material. Untamable Apex predator. Also you’d need, like, a fuckoff huge tank for them.

Sea Hare (Probably will figure out a different name for them). They’re a closeish relative of the Sea Slug ppl. Not actually descended from actual sea hares at all, but looks like a lot like them but with short, stubby leggies. They’re fairly lazy, herbivorous slugs, usually the size of, say, a french lop rabbit. They were used as livestock by the Sea Slugs for mainly their meat. These are also a common pet these days among mollusk folks, since they do well in similar humidity/temperatures, and are also very conveniently lazy. Sea Hare breeds aren’t quite as varied as Quail Things, but there’s still a nice number of Options, and people are breeding more varieties these days. Overall, a very good pet, especially if u are a fellow Damp Animal. 

Hedge Urchin (names are the worst part of animals!). This is basically a sea urchin that has become a hedgehog. Except they are herbivorous! There’s different species of these things with slightly different diets and therefore mouths, but the one I have drawn likes to scrape moss and lichen and such off of rocks. Probably. They have very primitive eyes that really only detect the direction of where light is coming from. Their spines are venomous, like all urchins; while you wouldn’t need serious medical attention unless you were allergic, it’s very painful and usually causes a lot of swelling around the wound. People have recently started keeping these as a Cool Exotic Pet, but it’s not advisable to handle them due to their spines. Definitely a hands-off pet, if you’re gonna keep one.

Various Lizards and Snakes. Nothing that different from things u might see today, though probably different species. There’s a lot less stigma around them than there is today, though, so they’re more common. 

Various Buges and other Arthropods. You know... beetles, spiders, terrestrial isopods, etc... People keep some. “Bugs” are considered a little more unusual/creepy than reptiles, except for by arthropod folks. Crabs are also Not Creepy as pets. 

Fish. We keep fishies. They also keep fishies. There are also a handful of smaller amphibious fish nowadays that ppl try to keep, but not all species are suitable for private keepers just because they can be pretty Sensitive. To Note: actual “amphibians” like frogs and salamanders are like 90% extinct, and remaining species tend to be Highly Protected and illegal to keep.

Horse Bird, basically a Cool Ostrich Thing that is larger and better suited for riding than modern ostriches. These are definitely Large Livestock. I guess they are the same degree of Pet Material as a horse. 

Small Whales. Not very many of them, and nothing much bigger than a beluga. They are whales. As you can imagine, they do not make good pets, as they are whales.

Side Note: Dolphins. These are not really animals. They are pretty much recognized to be sapient, however, many of them enjoy the challenge of hunting other sapients for food and kinda voluntarily uninvited from the Cool Sapient People Table. Salmonids and Dolphins clash the most because they both live in the sea. International legal protocol is to drive them away from inhabited coastlines and ships and otherwise leave them the fuck alone. They are not pets.

There are Other Animals, most of them unsuitable for pets, some of them probably alright pet material, but they are unknown to me at the moment (or I’m forgetting). A huge chunk of animals are birds and reptiles though, with Formerly Aquatic Animals being more of a minority. Also, Bugs are still king. It’s hard to come out of the water dude. Thanks for readin’ 

[ezatluba]

Alligators make terrible pets: 'You're basically dealing with a dinosaur.'

New Mexico officials seized this seven-foot American alligator (seen here at his new home, the ABQ BioPark Zoo) from a private home, where he'd been kept illegally for a decade.

A rise in the abandoned reptiles around the United States—including two recently found in a Kansas creek—has raised concern among experts.

JULY 31, 2020

Something unusual was lurking in Wildcat Creek, in Manhattan, Kansas, a small college town on the prairie. In June, townsfolk spotted two American alligators swimming in a body of water better known for reptiles such as garter snakes and painted turtles.

Further investigation revealed that a thief—still at large—had stolen the gators from a local pet shop and released them into the creek. Rescuers set humane traps to catch the animals, but the female, Pebbles, died after falling into the water inside one of these traps. The male, Beauregard, eluded capture until late July, when a construction worker caught and returned him to his owners at Manhattan Reptile World, according to their Facebook page.

The two gators, kept at Manhattan Reptile World under a state zoo permit, had previously been illegal pets, living in a pool and a bathtub in Manhattan and Kansas City, according to a news release. (Learn more about why people want exotic pets.)

The incident—particularly the female’s untimely death—highlights the often problematic, yet not widely known, phenomenon of keeping pet American alligators, which are native to the U.S. Southeast, experts say. (Read more about the exotic pet trade.)

Formerly endangered, American alligators reached their nadir in the 1950s because of overhunting and habitat loss, but conservation efforts returned the species to healthy numbers by the mid-1980s. Weighing up to a thousand pounds, these behemoths live in wetlands, rivers, lakes, and swamps, feeding primarily on fish, turtles, snakes, and small mammals. (Watch alligators on the hunt.)

Official numbers on how many American alligators are kept as pets don’t exist, but some states have estimates. There are likely 5,000 in Michigan; at least 50 in Phoenix, Arizona; and as many as 52 of the prehistoric reptiles are surrendered to the city of Chicago each year.

American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis

TYPE: Reptile

DIET: Carnivore

GROUP NAME: Congregation

AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 35-50 years

SIZE: 10-15 feet

WEIGHT: 1,000#

In recent years, wildlife officials across the nation have noticed an uptick in alligators abandoned in parks, creeks, and other public places. In 2019, six pet alligators went on the loose in Detroit (one was shot to death), and in August, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish seized an alligator from a Santa Fe man who had kept the animal illegally for 10 years.

Gator laws

Ownership laws for alligators vary by state and municipality. While keeping them is legal in Michigan, parts of Detroit ban private ownership. In other states, such as New Mexico, pet gators are illegal without a permit, and in Arizona and New York, private ownership is banned.

Such regulations don’t faze many collectors who covet palm-size baby gators. A quick search for pet alligators turns up dozens of websites that sell juvenile alligators for anywhere from $150 to $15,000 (for an albino animal). Most of these young reptiles come from legal alligator breeders in the Southeast who sell the animals wholesale to vendors.

The black market trade of these animals has long been “a big problem,” according to Matt Eschenbrenner, director of animal care and conservation at the Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum of Natural History, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It’s likely that most of these animals originate in Florida, says Russ Johnson, president of the Phoenix Herpetological Society.

Florida has strict alligator farming laws and inspection protocols, but not all breeders play by the rules. In 2018, the state reported 21 active alligator farms that produced legal hides and meat. Not present on this list are unlicensed operations that illegally breed gators as pets. (Read about the largest seizure to date of illegally caught reptiles.)

Bone breakers

Most gator pet owners are unprepared to care for an adult animal that can reach 14 feet and live 80 years, Johnson says. When that cute baby gets bigger and less manageable, the owner faces a real conundrum. “It’s not like owning a cat or dog that will return love,” he adds. “You’re basically dealing with a dinosaur.”

To capture their prey, alligators are armed with strong jaws lined with up to 80 teeth. If captive gators don’t get enough food—a common problem—they can get cranky and bite, easily breaking through human bone. “It’s not the alligator’s fault,” Johnson says. “The alligator was just being an alligator.”

This happens, he says, because feeding an alligator is expensive. Adults need nourishment such as whole chickens or pork with the bone, and Johnson says he pays about $150 a month to feed each adult alligator at his rescue facility.

Alligators also need a large pool of water to thrive. Bathtubs and kiddie pools, preferred by many pet owners, aren’t good enough, Eschenbrenner says. Buoyancy relieves the weight of an alligator’s internal organs, and if the water isn’t deep enough for a gator to float, it can suffer pain and even die from the pressure of its own internal weight. Plentiful water helps alligators feel safe and calm in their environment, he adds.

The right temperature is a requirement too. As natives of the U.S. Southeast, alligators are used to living in a warm-to-hot environment, and pet owners may need to use several heat lamps to keep the cold-blooded animals warm, Eschenbrenner says.

Health woes

Because many people keep pet alligators illegally, the animals miss out on routine veterinary care. As a result, serious health problems may go unchecked for years.

Eschenbrenner recalls one alligator rescued from a home in New Mexico that had been kept in a kiddie pool for a decade. The animal was obese, but even so, poor nutrition had stunted its growth and caused dental problems—it was unable to fully close its mouth because the top and bottom jaws were misaligned.

Many pet alligators develop weakened bones because of a nutrient-poor diet, such as hamburger meat or deboned chicken. One alligator rescued in Arizona was so low on calcium that its jaws were “like a rubber band,” Johnson says. Another was so malnourished that it broke its back leg while trying to escape rescuers.

Unnatural surfaces can be harmful: One alligator raised on a glass platform had a disfigured skeleton because of improperly settled bones.

Considering the difficulties of keeping an alligator, much less a healthy one, it’s no surprise that when the animals become too difficult to care for, their owners abandon or kill them—or surrender them to the authorities, Johnson says.

Good homes for gators

There are people trying to make life better for abandoned alligators. For example, the Phoenix Herpetological Society, in Arizona, provides a natural, semi-wild habitat for 15 rescued alligators at its 2.5-acre sanctuary—along with a number of other abandoned, abused, and confiscated reptiles. The facility, which has an on-site reptile clinic and research center, aims to find permanent homes for many of its animals, often sending them to other reputable sanctuaries around the country.

Female crocs lay their eggs in clutches of 20 to 60. After the eggs have incubated for about three months, the mother opens the nest and helps her young out of their shells.

Alligators' heads are shorter and wider than crocodiles'. Although heavy and slow on land, they can ambush their prey from the water by lunging at speeds of 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour.

Nile crocodiles are the largest crocodilians in Africa, sometimes reaching 20 feet (6 meters) long.

Saved from the brink of extinction, the American alligator now thrives in its native habitat: the swamps and wetlands of the southeastern United States.

Critically endangered, the prehistoric-looking American crocodile struggles to survive in pockets of shrinking habitat.

The largest crocodilians on Earth, saltwater crocs, or "salties," are excellent swimmers and have often been spotted far out at sea.

American alligators are found in freshwater coastal wetlands across the southeastern United States, from Louisiana to the Carolinas.

Mother Nile crocodiles lay their eggs in a buried nest, opening it when high-pitched squeaks are heard from within. The sex of baby crocs is dependent upon the temperature of the nest rather than genetics.

The best solution, Eschenbrenner says, is not to own an alligator in the first place. “I would never have an animal like this as a pet, period.”

A good option for alligator enthusiasts is to appreciate them from a distance by supporting conservation groups or a certified zoo that keeps the animals properly for public education, he says.

Owning one is “doing an injustice to this animal,” Eschenbrenner says. “You’re causing it more harm than good.”

Wildlife Watch is an investigative reporting project between National Geographic Society and National Geographic Partners focusing on wildlife crime and exploitation. Read more Wildlife Watch stories here, and learn more about National Geographic Society’s nonprofit mission at nationalgeographic.org. Send tips, feedback, and story ideas to NGP.WildlifeWatch@natgeo.com.

[nookishposts]

Chicken Diaries June 21/20

We’ve had our hens almost 4 weeks. As first-timers we thought we would play it safe and get 6 ready-to-lay 18-week-old pullets instead of hand-raising cute baby chicks. They arrived in a green plastic crate and there exists a video of me opening that to release them into our carefully constructed chicken coop. Let’s just say they needed some encouragement. The process involved considerable cussing and laughter, some of it even came from me. But a few minutes effort and they began to come out of their conspiratorial little huddle in the corner and explore their new digs.

Instead of building a new free-standing structure, we decided to modify one end of the good-sized shed that came with this property. We cordoned off an 8 x 10 ft section , building a wall with wooden pallets and chicken wire, also wiring in the ceiling so nobody would be tempted to roost in the rafters and small prey birds wouldn’t have access. We installed 4 nesting boxes on a shelf approximately 3 feet off the ground, using plastic bins on their sides and screwed into the wooden framework. I’ve seen others screw plastic buckets to the wall, or use old record bins, milk crates, etc, and all research suggests it doesn’t really matter what they are made of as long as they are dark and cozy and quietly out of the way. I lined them with shavings and chopped straw and put a ceramic egg (golf balls can also be used apparently) to give the juveniles inspiration. I even hung an old towel cut into fringes over the top couple of inches of each opening, just as I have seen farmers do. Feed and water dispensers sit on a small platform. The next addition was a large cedar branch along one wall to serve as a roost. A 40 gallon feed bin full of laying mash was tucked tidily beneath. For someone with zero decorating or fashion sense I was quite pleased with myself. A good thick layer of wood shavings on the concrete floor. And the piece de resistance was the chicken door...cut into the side wall of the shed, about 18 inches up, snazzy ladders on either side lovingly crafted by my sister-in-law. It has a hatch that clips open and shut, and even a little shingled flap to keep out the weather. The outdoor pen to which this leads is a reclaimed dog run frame courtesy of neighbours down the road who just wanted rid of it. We cut it to a 8 x 12 x 6 foot size, freshened the wire and top against predators, added another roost, a water trough and a tarp for shade. Oh, and yes, there are human accesses to each area. I couldn’t fit through a chicken door even in my salad days. So, the birds had good food, water, shelter, and a nice new home. Eggs would come by the time the girls reached 21 weeks old according to the experts.

Thus our education began. Notice I said “our”.

First step was teaching them how to get out into the yard. It made sense to trail a little mash up the ladder rungs. They just stood alongside and pecked it off. So I gathered one girl up and put her on the little landing just inside the hatch. I got cussed out and flapped at for my efforts , but she calmed down enough to think it over, and then fell out the other side into the pen. Let’s call it a partial success. As chickens can fly, I figured I would just shove them out the door; they could soften their landing in feathery parachutes and then just figure out how to get back in on their own. It took a few tries but we all grew into it. They practically tap-dance up and down their ladders now, the little show-offs. Each morning when I open their hatch they shove one another out of the way in a race to be first into the yard. And like any other young-ins, they lead me a merry chase to get them to go to bed at bedtime. When they do get settled in, they are all lined up and fluffed out, 6 feathery dirndle skirts in a row on their roost, drowsy-eyed and singing one another to sleep. It’s pretty adorable.

I try to spend a little quality time with them each day, sitting on a block in the chicken run with treats, so they readily hand-feed and get used to being handled. I can keep an eye on the health of beaks and claws and general well-being. There have been times when there’s a bird on my shoulder, another on my knee and a third on my foot. I have yet to be pooped on, but that too will come in time. Not that I am in any rush. They love rotten bananas, strawberry tops, and cheese curds. They are nuts for radish greens and lettuce. Potato peels are ignored and cucumber kicked aside. Most chickens will eat a variety of kitchen scraps but we seem to have 6 little Kardashian divas on our hands...picky girls demanding quality. I am merely a vending machine in crocs...as I approach they see me coming and get all coo-ey and sweet. Unless they see me on a water run but otherwise empty handed. Nobody here will fess up to teaching them that kind language. Divas they may be, but they ain’t ladies. I serve, they lay.

And now we come to our biggest point of contention. 

Those are damned nice laying boxes. Clean, soft, cosy, basic black. Add a string of pearls and you could wear them anywhere. At the correct height. Softly bedded. A little snack in the corner of each one, because, you know, delivering potential offspring is exhausting work. Or so I’m told by my own Mother Hen. Anywho....at 20 weeks we had our first egg and I managed to find it while it was still warm from the oven, tucked neatly into a low corner of the coop. I ran with it into the house, proudly showing it off like a first grader with a finger painting. My Beloved and I celebrated with a three-way selfie; us and the pretty little peachy-brown perfect orb of poultry protein. We had been warned not to eat the first few eggs if they were at all soft, misshapen, or in any way unusual. This one was Oscar-worthy and it sat in pride of place on the kitchen island for days while we sighed in admiration and patted ourselves on the back. We’d have displayed it on the fridge door if we could have figured out how. 

For a few days, I gently lifted the growing girls into the 4 nesting boxes, praising and petting them, making sure they saw the ceramic examples. To absolutely no avail. We found eggs everywhere; in the corners, on the frames, behind the feed bin, next to the water dispenser, even one in the yard. The boxes remain undisturbed by volunteers except the odd scrounging chipmunk  cleaning up maternity snacks. A few eggs have been bomb-dropped from the height of the roost and decoratively splattered onto the floor. Chickens clean these up themselves thankfully. We told ourselves they were still young and learning. In one particularly popular corner, I stuck a cardboard box filled with shavings, out of curiosity. Sure enough, a couple of little gems glistened there the next morning. Aha! So logically I took one of the fancy boxes from it’s ledge and stuck it in the same corner, leaving the cardboard box on top out of the way. Yay!

This morning, entering carefully as always in order to avoid stepping on or in anything untoward, I peeked around the door to behold the following: one hen perched in the cardboard box, having just delivered her duty, whilst a second girl perched directly on top of the first was doing her best to comply. We had layered layers. Sure enough, egg number 2 dropped into the butt feathers of the bottom girl and rolled gently off into the bedding next to egg # 1. The hens smiled. There may even have been a winged high-five, I’m not sure.

I surrender.

We are averaging 6 eggs per day every day now, with only the odd misfire. Serving a frittata to my Mum, (who is here to visit for the first time as we could keep things pandemically safe enough to do so), from eggs laid the very same morning was a stupidly proud moment for me. I no longer care where the birds deposit their booty, as long as I don’t have to step in it. There’s a For Rent sign on each of the four custom nesting boxes.Perhaps there’s an introverted mallard out in the wetlands looking for a new home. I’ll just continue to be the vending machine with the poopy shoes. I know my place.

[elevenhoursinfront-blog]

18th December 2017

Our alarm went off very early. We needed to get up and go to Specsavers as a particular young man decided to break his brand new sunnies. Nice one Steve. We drove to the closest one and parked up. It was a huge shopping centre, kind of like Lakeside but smaller, with a Specsavers inside.

We explained that we had bought these in Specsavers Melbourne, broken them here in Port Stephens but will need them posted to Specsavers in Sydney within three days before we leave Australia forever. She laughed. It was a nervous laugh. She didn't make us feel comfortable, I was expecting her to say it couldn't be done.

She had to ring Melbourne store first to get some codes from them, ring into Sydney to see whether they had any in stock and whether they'd be ready in 3 days... Eventually we were told that Sydney will have a new pair ready for us when we arrive. The lady wrote down the address and contact number on a piece of card for us to take away. We already knew where the Specsavers was but took the card anyway.

Steve was very annoyed he didn't have his sunglasses with him for the rest of the trip. Serves him right for being heavy handed! To be fair to him though, it wasn't his fault. They must have been a weak, faulty pair but at least they're sorting it out before we leave.

Next one the list for the day - Tomaree Mountain Hike.

I had wanted to do this particular mountain hike in Port Stephen's that I found when I was doing our research - so here we are! We've decided to do it early so that it's not too dangerous in the heat. I've read reviews about it and it's meant to be hard. There's loads of steep tracks and steps upwards. Well worth the views from what I can see on images though.  A very early alarm for us considering what we've done already!

Tomaree mountain was pivotal in the defence of Australia during World War Two and especially 1942 with what was known at the time as the 'crisis year'. The Japanese had conquered much of South East Asia and landed on the beaches of Papua New Guinea. Australia seemed the next logical target in the search. Port Stephens was important to the war effort to ensure Australia’s defences were in place.

We packed our stuff for the day - sun cream, water, GoPro, selfie stick, hat and lunch. We had our van with us anyway but we had to think about what we'd need on a hike. With our fitness levels at next to none, we struggled quite bad when doing hikes and we've done a fair few. I told Steve I'd love to get into hiking properly though. Go on cute hiking holiday's and climb the highest mountains for the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets.

We drove to the Tomaree National Park car and started our walk around 0800. There were a fair few people coming downwards already. A lot that I was expect to be locals doing their morning exercise.

We started the hike and it wasn't too bad. We were hot - the sun was beaming. We were breathless and sweating but it felt amazing. We stopped every now and then because I was in awe of the scenery.

We eventually reached the top after 1-2 hours and we were very impressed with ourselves. It wasn't as hard as we thought it was going to be. The top of Tomaree Mountain was boarded out with a pathway that went in a large circle to get the whole 365 degree view. It wasn't a busy and we were able to get really good photos. It was amazing. I loved every moment of it.

I read all the information plaques around on our hikes and we had read about 'Fingal Bay'. It's the sea with a split in the middle from the sandy beach. The split is created by sand and I really wanted to walk on it. So, off we went to Fingal Bay!

We started our descend which is always as easier than the climb. It was getting quite busy now so I was pleased we did it as early as we did. We got back to the van and drove the 15 minutes, if that, to Fingal Bay. We parked up, jumped out and walked down to the beach front. The sand was bright white and the water was bright blue. It really was beautiful. It was what you'd expect to see on the front of a Holiday brochure. The spilt was a mile or two walk along the front. It was a pleasant walk. Steve was in and out of the water as we walked. I kept taking photos.

The split seemed to be moving as we moved. It took us much longer than we thought it would. It only looked about 15 minutes away but it was like 45 minutes. Not that I'm complaining. Who doesn't love a beach front walk?

We arrived and we had about 10 minutes before the tide came in and the split disappeared... How annoying. I took some photos before the water covered it.  I wanted to walk on the split to the other side but Steve said no. We compromised and we went across... The water was getting high once we were on the other side. It wouldn't have been a problem clothes wise because we had our swimwear on underneath but I had my rucksack with my cameras and lunch in. We were both starving so lunch was our main priority.

We managed to get back safely, with the water up to our waist. We decided to sit on the high point of the sand and have lunch watching the split disappear. It was nice. Lucky, the seagulls didn't find us and our wraps. Steve likes to feed every breathing animal and I don't like to share my food.

We walked back along the beach to where the van was parked. It was mid-afternoon and Steve and I didn't know what to do next. I wanted to do the sand-boarding and camel rides however Steve really wasn't keen. I suggested we just stay at the beach because of how nice it was and Steve said yeah why not.

We got back to the van and Steve said he had found a 'Sting-Ray and Shark Encounter'. He rang up and asked whether there were still places to come in and how much it would be. They had space and we went straight away. It was about $60 for us both which isn't too bad.

The place was called Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounter. Irukandji is the name of the most venomous box jellyfish. The Irukandji is one of the worlds most dangerous creatures. We parked up after a 15 minute drive and walked in. We paid first and then had to go into separate changing rooms. We were given a wet suit and a pair of crocs to wear. I came out first and waited for Steve for what seemed like forever.

Steve came out and a member of staff came over to us. They asked us to come over and get into a pool. We climbed down some steps into cold water. I hadn't realised that this pool had a lot of stingrays in, a few being the size of a double bed. I panicked, a little. There was a group of about 6 of us in the water, and 4 out the water. You can do the tour in or out the water but we opted for in the water. Why else would you come for the encounter?

The staff member – Gemma, got in the water and started talking about the sting-rays. She started off by saying that we were in a pool full of the type of sting-ray that killed Steve Irwin. Great opening line!

We had to stand in a line and Gemma got the biggest sting-ray to swim up against us. We were able to stroke her as she went past. It was so soft! I was so shocked. I had touched sting-rays before at aquariums but I haven't had one basically on top of me before. It was great.

After a while in this pool, meeting and feeding all the sting-rays, we moved onto the next pool. The next pool was sharks... I panicked, again. In this pool were about 4 extremely large sharks. They looked mean. I got in and tried not to have a bitch fit. Steve was loving it and so was I, I was just hoping that I wasn't going to be lunch.

We got to feed the sharks and stroke them. Stroke sharks. Yes, most people stroke dogs, cats, maybe even the odd rabbit. Not sharks. It felt weird. Eventually, after feeding time we got out and moved onto the next pool.

The next pool was full of loads of tiny sting-rays and sharks together. When we walked in the pools, we weren't allowed to bring our feet up. We had to slide them across the floor to make sure there were no creeping stingers underneath us, hence the crocs we were given.

We had to kneel down in the tiny pool and we were given lots of dead fish parts to feed them with. It was great! I loved it. I tried so hard to get photos on my GoPro but they kept coming out like rubbish. Not the best animals to try and take a photo of...

There was an aquarium around the pools too. They had the deadly Lion fish and the Irukandji itself. Both were a no from me. Our experience fished and the staff asked if we wanted to go again. Naturally, we both said yes and went round for the second time! I wasn't as scared. Who can say they've had a hug from a double-bed sized sting-ray and a huge Tawny Nurse Shark?! What a great end to a great day.

We got changed and headed back home once we were finished. We got showered straight away and then got loads of bits out for dinner. We were starving and just had a 'picky bits' dinner. We played card games and fell asleep straight away.

[otmaromanovas]

those asks??? do em all buddy go nuts

ask and ye shall recieve

1: 6 of the songs you listen to most?When You Believe, You Will Be Found, Danse Macarbe, 96000, Africa, and Hey Jude2: If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?Queen Elizabeth. She’s an absolute legend, and I’m going to be devastated when she dies. 3: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.Maria Eva Duarte de Peron had in large quantities many of the qualities needed to lift her from obscurity to fame4: What do you think about most?What the hell I’m going to do with my life5: What does your latest text message from someone else say?“You up for DTBD tonight??”6: Do you sleep with or without clothes on?Depends on the season. In autumn and winter I do, but sometimes summer can be way too warm (even at night)7: What’s your strangest talent?I can sightread sheet music perfectly8: Girls… (finish the sentence); Boys… (finish the sentence)Girls will be girls. Boys need to grow the hell up.9: Ever had a poem or song written about you?Not explicitly, no. 10: When is the last time you played the air guitar?I honestly can’t remember11: Do you have any strange phobias?No12: Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?I had a piece of lego up there when I was a little kid13: What’s your religion?I’m Roman Catholic14: If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?Tanning, taking photos or reading in the shade15: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?Behind it.16: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?I don’t think I have one. I fluctuate between favourite songs, and bands are even harder17: What was the last lie you told?I claimed having to work so I could be designated driver so I didn’t have to drink18: Do you believe in karma?I do. I try to do good things so good things happen to me. 19: What does your URL mean?I’ve loved Elizabeth Schuyler since I was an actual child, and her familial nicknames were Liza and Betsey20: What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?I’m so awkward around people I don’t know. I like to think I am the most supportive person you will ever knoe21: Who is your celebrity crush?Gal Gadot22: Have you ever gone skinny dipping?No!23: How do you vent your anger?Throwing pillows around and screaming24: Do you have a collection of anything?I’m working on a playbill collection of shows helmed by women. I started collecting shells from every beach I visit when I was a kid, and I still do that now. 

25: Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?Video chatting- I love seeing peoples faces when I talk to them26: Are you happy with the person you’ve become?I’m content. I wouldn’t say happy yet, but I’m getting there27: What’s a sound you hate; sound you love?Microphone feedback is literally the worst. Orchestras warming up is the greatest sound you will ever hear28: What’s your biggest “what if”?What if I dropped out of my degree and moved down to Canberra now, rather than in two years?29: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?I think ghosts are just the memory of people who have lived. I do believe people see them. I absolutely refuse to think that humans are the only sentient species in the entire universe. 30: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.A mug of tea. A potted plant31: Smell the air. What do you smell?Freshly cut grass and cold air32: What’s the worst place you have ever been to?A B&B in Sydney that boiled the sausages for breakfast33: Choose: East Coast or West Coast?I live on an east coast, so I’m biased34: Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?If I had to choose, probably Calvin Harris35: To you, what is the meaning of life?Living to the best of your ability36: Define Art.Subjective37: Do you believe in luck?Yes38: What’s the weather like right now?Windy and kind of chilly. But not cold yet.39: What time is it?10:25am40: Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?I do! No (knock on wood). I’ve been in the car when it has crashed, but I’ve never caused it.41: What was the last book you read?The Book of the Dead by the New York Times. It’s a collection of the obituaries they’ve published since they were founded. It’s grim, but so interesting42: Do you like the smell of gasoline?A little, yes43: Do you have any nicknames?So many! My favourite is Goldilocks (I used to have really long, blonde, curly hair) 44: What was the last film you saw?Moana. I was babysitting my neighbours daughters and they suggested it. 

45: What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had?Okay so I was a water polo player for years, and had some major beef with this girl. We played against each other in an interschool competition. It was a REALLY violent game. I ended up giving her a black eyes and I loosened some of her teeth- she gave me a concussion, a cracked rib, and managed to nearly dislocate my knee. Oh yeah, and I nearly drowned. Great times. We aren’t allowed to play on opposing teams anymore.

46: Have you ever caught a butterfly?I almost always have a bouquet of flowers with me, and they like to land on me, but I’ve never caught one47: Do you have any obsessions right now?Vinyl records48: What’s your sexual orientation?Cis-straight49: Ever had a rumour spread about you?That I had sex with four people in a tent on the one night. Yeah, nope. This girl doesn’t have sex in tents. This girl doesn’t even camp.50: Do you believe in magic?Not the fairy magic, but yes51: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?Oh my god yes52: What is your astrological sign?Aries53: Do you save money or spend it?I try to save, but usually end up spending it all.54: What’s the last thing you purchased?A pair of Rosie the Riveter-style overalls for a 1940′s themed costume party55: Love or lust?Love. It’ll last longer56: In a relationship?Not right now57: How many relationships have you had?Two. Maybe three, but we never defined what it was58: Can you touch your nose with your tongue?No.59: Where were you yesterday?I was at work60: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?My headphones, mouse pad and fingernails61: Are you wearing socks right now?No62: What’s your favourite animal?Quokkas. Literally the cutest things I have ever seen63: What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?64: Where is your best friend?In Sydney (I only see her once a year, which is just not good enough for me)65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr.lucreziaborgia, runawayforthesummer, and that’s literally it. 66: What is your heritage?My dad is Italian, my mother is Australian. His family are Italian, her family are Irish and English67: What were you doing last night at 12AM?Drinking the university bar dry68: What do you think is Satan’s last name?Smith or Jones. Lucifer Smith sounds terrifying, does it not?69: Biggest turn ons?Neck kisses, a well-tailored suit, button up shirts with the sleeve pushed up over the elbow, a uniform (especially army), just a little bit of scruff70: Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?I think so, yes.71: You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?Save the dog. I’m the boss at work, so if I get fired, everything collapses.72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?I’d tell my family and close friends. I’d spend all my money on travel- see more shows, roadtrip, party. I wouldn’t be afraid.73: You can only have one of these things; trust or love.Trust.74: What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?The Cha Cha Slide. so many good memories attached to that song, and it’s impossible not to smile when you’re dancing to it.75: What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?346276: In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?Trust and openness 77: How can I win your heart?Flowers, a new edition of a classic book, and a love of music and theatre78: Can insanity bring on more creativity?Yes. It gives you a perspective that not a lot of other people have79: What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?Dumping my last boyfriend. That little shit was going nowhere in life. 80: What size shoes do you wear?I’m an 1181: What would you want to be written on your tombstone?“You still owe me money”82: What is your favourite word?Fuck. or serendipity because it’s so fun to say83: Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.Warm84: What is a saying you say a lot?“I’m just putting it out there”85: What’s the last song you listened to?Hello Hurricane by Switchfoot86: Basic question; what’s your favourite colour/colours?Rose pink, mint green and sky blue87: What is your current desktop picture?My best friend and dabbing on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

88: If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?Donald Trump

89: What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on?Have you ever gotten pregnant?90: Turn offs?Not showering, sexism/racism, cargo pants, CROCS91: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?Invisibility92: where are your parents from? Dad is from Tully, mum is from Longreach93: You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?First boyfriend cheating on me. 94: You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?I dont’ know.95: You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?New York City96: Do you have any relatives in jail?Not that I know of97: Have you ever thrown up in the car?Nope. I’ve been driving when someone has thrown up, but never done it myself98: Ever been on a plane?All the time!99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?Y’all have got to fucking chill